Locked In
by crazysockmonkeys
Summary: Takes place in the episode "Single and Hating It" after Antonio heads for the office. One-shot.


**Author's note: Hello all! I apologize in advance for this story. It doesn't have much of a plot, but I hope you will enjoy it! Thanks for reading!**

* * *

"I'll be back! And I know all your names!"

The lights came back on as the roller of intense thunder ended, and there was Antonio with all eyes on him. He smiled and raised two fingers. "Bye-bye," he said, and he opened the door and left.

It was nice to think that not only was he being given a refund for his less-than-successful evening, he was being paid to sit in an office until the rain let up! True, he wasn't exactly thrilled with the way things had turned out at the so-called "Singles Mingle" he had attended, but it was okay. He had learned tonight that the best way to be rejected by a woman was to not to _feel _rejected after it happened.

And now, sitting in the office of Carol, the manager, he felt somewhat happy with himself. He had gone through an entire day without feeling bad about himself, which was a pretty big accomplishment for Antonio Scarpacci!

He kicked back in Carol's chair, put his feet up on her desk, and let out a long sigh. The office was furnished with mostly white. The walls were white, the couch had black and white stripes, and a vase of white roses rested on a table at the other side of the room.

Taking his feet off the desk, he began to open the drawers, even taking a few instances to rummage through them. He found some interesting things, but that kept him occupied for all of five minutes. This was going to be a problem, he realized. He would have to find a way to pass the time.

The first thing he immediately thought to do was to try the prank phone calls Lowell had taught him a few years ago, if he could still remember them. There was one he could brightly recall, and he picked up the phone and dialed a random number.

"Hello?"

"Hello…my name is Antonio. I was just going to ask you if your refrigerator is running."

"Nice try, _Antonio. _I wasn't born yesterday, and I know how that one works! Geez, what an imbecile."

He heard a click and then the dial tone. Even though he hadn't exactly been successful, he still laughed. He tried it a few more times, and although only one person didn't know the joke, it still helped to kill time.

Next, he went to the bookshelf in the corner and looked through the books she had. Some he suspected were-work related, but others were regular novels for pleasant reading. He picked one called _The Stolen Destiny. _The cover was silver and the lettering was a deep scarlet.

He sat on the couch and began to read, and as he did he became increasingly sleepier. His neck became tired and just as he was about to nod off he heard something outside the door of the office.

"What, Casey, what? What could be so important that you had to drag me away from the bartender?"

"Brian, I have had enough of this. We got as far as the door, I say we make a run for it."

"There is a gorgeous woman in there, and I-"

"Oh shut up, Brian, the bartender is not going to go out with you!"

"Don't say that! Besides, you're forgetting about the storm. There's no way we can possibly make a break for the car and get home safely."

"Okay, maybe you're right. I'm just getting a little tired of the same men following me around like lovelorn children. And they're all freaks!"

"I don't know what to tell you, Casey."

_I do, _thought Antonio. _Casey should kill her admirer with a carving knife, then say that he got into a fight in the back alley of her home. After all, if worked for Morgan in this book here._

Brian and Casey went back into the party and Antonio picked up _The Stolen Destiny _once more and began to read.

* * *

He woke up to the sound of thunder and when his eyes opened he heard nothing. The roar of the Singles Mingle had ceased and the book was on the floor, closed. He could tell the lights in the rest of the building were turned off. Antonio glanced at his watch. It was four AM.

How had this happened? He must have fallen asleep while reading and then no one had bothered to come and get him after everything was finished. Well, none of that mattered now. There were worse ways to spend an evening.

He got up from the couch and tried to open the door. It was locked. Sighing, he began to search through drawers again, trying to find a key, but there was nothing.

_Since when do doors only lock from the outside? _Antonio thought.

There was no way to pick the lock from inside the door, so he was stuck. Unless…

Antonio picked up the phone book, found Joe's number, and dialed it.

"Hello?"

To Antonio's surprise, he sounded almost wide awake.

"Hello, Joe. It is me, Antonio."

"What do you want?"

"You see, I have a little problem and I was wondering if you could help me."

"Can't it wait? I'm kinda busy…you know, with Helen."

"Ah, I see. It is the night of your anniversary, you should be together. I will call Brian."

"Thanks."

He did just that, and when Brian picked up he didn't sound very happy.

"What?"

"Hello Brian, this is Antonio."

"What's going on?"

"I feel asleep in the office, and now I'm locked in."

"What, you mean…still at the Single's Mingle?"

"Yes."

"What do you want me to do about it, Antonio?"

He hadn't thought about that. The exterior doors would be locked, and Brian wouldn't know how to contact anyone to let him out.

"I don't know."

"Sorry. See you tomorrow."

Brian hung up and Antonio sighed. He was stuck here, he was sure of it now. Oh well, he'd just sleep here tonight. He went back to the couch, lie down and fell asleep.

* * *

As morning dawned, Antonio awoke to a shriek this time.

"Antonio? What are you doing here?" It was Carol, here for work.

He bolted to his feet and explained himself quickly.

"Oh, well, sorry. I had no idea. I guess you'll be needing your money now."

"If you don't mind."

Carol gave him his well-earned cash and added an extra ten dollars for locking him in. As Antonio left the building, he began to whistle. He had earned money by spending the night on a couch and reading a novel!

He smiled to himself. True his life was pretty pathetic, but that left room for him to rejoice about the simple things, which never went to waste.

**The End**


End file.
